Engadget RSS Feedhttp://www.engadget.com
Engadgethttp://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gifEngadgethttp://www.engadget.com
en-usCopyright 2015 AOL Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/09/microsoft-stores-xbox-one-demo-kiosks/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/09/microsoft-stores-xbox-one-demo-kiosks/http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/09/microsoft-stores-xbox-one-demo-kiosks/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments

If today's deluge of Xbox Onenews has you itching to try it out yourself ahead of this month's launch, Microsoft has good news for you. Redmond's retail stores will have demo kiosks of the new console set up, and you can play any game you want, as long as it's Forza Motorsport 5. Want more? If you kick the next-gen console's tires, you'll be entered to win a Forza prize pack that includes a Polk soundbar, Ferrari racing wheel and a $2,000 gift card to use toward a new TV. Sure, Microsoft stores might not be as ubiquitous as Sony's PlayStation 4 demo locations, but at least these preview spots stay in one place.

When we last checked in on the lilitab tablet kiosk product 18 months ago, the sturdy and economical stand delivered a sleek, minimalist look for retail and exhibit environments. Rolling forward to new tablet models, however, required replacing the entire head unit, and the fixed viewing angle wasn't ideal for some environments. It was also not particularly easy to turn off a tablet at night when it was encased with the high-security faceplate on the original lilitab.

Now creator Adam Aaronson and the lilitab team have rethought the entire product for the lilitab Gen 2 kiosk, which began shipping late in Q3 of this year. The lilitab Gen 2 works perfectly with the iPad 2, which many kiosk implementations choose for its lower price; it also works great with the 3rd and 4th gen units, and iPad Air support is on the way soon. The lilitab kiosks are assembled in California under Apple's "Made for iPad" certification program; the company claims to be the only tablet kiosk manufacturer that has achieved Level 6 MFi certification in the program, allowing it to put together final products featuring the Lightning device connector.

In rethinking the lilitab kiosk, one of the first things that got improved was the setup process. Gone is the complex threading/wedging of the power adapter into the support base; now the stand includes a straightforward USB pigtail cable, which can be attached directly to power or to an extension cable. The overall assembly process is quite a bit faster, as the baseplate attaches much more easily than before. In addition to the self-standing floor models, there are countertop, surface and wall-mount options.

It's on the business end of the kiosk where you'll find the most noticeable improvements in the Gen 2. Rather than a cable passthru from the stalk to the iPad head unit, the Pro version of the head unit sports a custom, lockable magnetic connector. Need to pack up your kiosks for the night? Simply unlock them and pull them easily off the stalk in seconds. Another advantage of the custom connector: you can quickly spin your tablet from landscape to portrait mode. The head unit and connector also now sit on an articulated joint, so it's much easier to adjust display angle when needed. The company also offers a basic, no-tilt version of the head unit.

Inside the cradle, adjustable brackets, silicon bumpers and a swappable power module support the use of most full-size tablets with minimal adjustment (with the exception of the iPad 1, which is too thick to fit properly under the top cover). The really magical gadget, though, is the MagKey; this slender magnetic strip can slide into a slot on the back of the lilitab cradle, where it triggers the iPad 2/3/4 Smart Cover sleep sensor. In a snap, the iPad is asleep for the night, and can be awoken for business the next day just by pulling out the MagKey again.

For point-of-sale or commerce applications, the lilitab head unit can be expanded with either a Square reader mount point or the liliswipe secure card reader. In fact, lilitab is teaming up with credit card processing giant VeriFone to deliver the Pro-V kiosk with an integrated VeriFone card reading solution. The big advantage there is the ability to leverage VeriFone's end-to-end security model, which reduces the effort involved in certifying the retail environment for PCI-DSS compliance (the industry standard governing the handling of payment card data).

In an effort to make Toshiba's TransferJet more... business, the company revealed a touchscreen kiosk that allows you to buy (and immediately download) music, videos and more. Just in case that alone wasn't enough, the kiosk, which is adorably petite, also uses NFC to pair the device and (if you have the appropriate account or software) pay for downloadable content. The kiosk even throws in Qi wireless charging for your handset as you select, buy and download that new anime episode. Of course, if you don't have wireless charging (or TransferJet to grab the downloads in the first place), you might not get the most out of what Toshiba's offering here, but the idea is to place the device in places like airports and convenience stores, where people are likely to have time to kill and want something to watch or listen to right away.

If you've yet to lay your hands on a Chromebook or Chromebox, that could change shortly, as the computers may soon find a new life in libraries, hotels, retail stores and even the break room. Today, Google announced an update to its management console for Chrome OS that allows for Managed Public Sessions -- in other words, a kiosk mode. Central to the idea, users will be able to login to the computer without supplying credentials, and their data will be automatically cleared at the end of the session. The setup has plenty of appeal for system administrators, too, as they'll find the ability to set the default web page, block access to specific sites and apps, configure device I/O operation and manage timed logouts. Google has tested Managed Public Sessions with Dillards, The Hyatt in San Francisco and the Multnomah County Library in Oregon. If anything, it's a good reason to keep a keen watch on your surroundings... you might just spot a Chromebook in the wild that's begging for some attention.

iPad kiosk enclosure design house nClosures has come up with a fascinating and beautiful way to attach multiple iPads in artistic kiosk arrays. One of the firm's designers, William Coburn, came up with the idea that the company could build arrays of iPads that would "mimic the form of what is being studied, developed or even conceptualized." From some initial ideas, nClosures created a modular and scalable Display Array that can be configured in a number of ways to "visually emulate specific ideas or phenomena being presented."

As an example, the company used the design to come up with a kiosk display that looks like the DNA double helix that could be used with DNA-related content or apps on the iPads. Another example (seen below) shows the modular array set up like a tree of iPads, something that could be used in a museum or public display focusing on trees.

nClosures invites those who are interested in creating a custom display using the Display Array to contact them for more information.

Replacing those unused telephones that still dot the streets of NYC with high-tech kiosks is just the start. Control Group, one of the companies looking to Reinvent Payphones, has been hired by the MTA to bring its touchscreen and app-driven vision to the New York City Subway system. All told, 90 of 47-inch panels will be installed in stops from Grand Central to Bedford primarily near booths, but also on the platforms themselves. At least initially the rugged displays will primarily be used to feed information about delays and outages and, of course, serve up ads. Eventually, the stainless steel-encased kiosk will be able to run apps approved by the MTA, but the star of the show will be the navigation system that offers a mastery of New York public transportation that Google could only dream of. Sadly there's no concrete timeline for the rollout, we'll just have to keep an eye on the platform. There's one more image waiting after the break for the truly curious.

Although six designs were awarded in New York City's Reinvent Payphones competition, it remained to be seen which of the six would be the people's favorite. After about a week's worth of voting on NYC's Facebook page, the people have made their choice: NYFi will serve is their favorite concept for street-side payphone overhauls. It's not hard to see why, as the proposal would theoretically solve several urban hassles at once. Each NYFi hub would dish out free WiFi, taking the load off of the cellular network. It would also use open, smartphone-like software and easily adaptable touchscreen hardware to consolidate many of the boxes that clutter the sidewalks, such as ticket machines and bike sharing stations. We'll admit that most of the concepts sound a little optimistic to us -- we wouldn't be surprised if any finished city project fell short of the ideas. Even if we don't get a WiFi hotspot on every corner, though, the reinvented payphone will likely be a welcome replacement for landline phones that have mostly collected dust in recent years.

Update: We've adjusted the post to clarify that NYfi is not, per se, the overall winner. During the initial demo event five awards were up for grabs from the city, and a sixth award, Popular Choice, was to be chosen by the public. Whether NYC ends up using one of these designs as a direct inspiration will remain to be seen. The awards are more or less a way for the city to see what the public would propose and potentially use those ideas when it comes time to request for designs within a mandated set of specifications. Check out our post about the event for more details.

]]>
challengecompetitionkiosknewyorkcitynycnyfipayphonereinventpayphoneswifiSun, 17 Mar 2013 03:00:00 -040021|20506668http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/05/wii-u-demo-kiosks-available-at-us-retailers/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Joystiq&ncid=rss_semi
http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/05/wii-u-demo-kiosks-available-at-us-retailers/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/05/wii-u-demo-kiosks-available-at-us-retailers/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Joystiq#commentsIf you're interested in checking out a Wii U pre-launch - or just interested in finally explaining to someone that it is an actual new console and not just a peripheral - here's your chance. Nintendo reports that over 5,000 Wii U demo stations are present in US retailers, including Target, Best Buy, Toys R Us, GameStop, and Walmart. To find your nearest Wii U demo station, search here.

Chances are, however, you can just see your nearest one from your home, if they're all as enormous as the one pictured.

Redbox and Warner Bros. were at odds in January when Warner wanted to extend the window before discs hit kiosks to 56 days, but now the two have come to an agreement that keeps it at a 28 day delay. When their previous deal expired Redbox said it would find other ways to obtain discs and offer them day and date to its customers, although actually finding them in kiosks could be tough. The new two-year deal covers movies that debut after January 1st, 2013, and claims to improve economics for both Warner (which has apparently seen fit to eliminate the delay entirely for brick & mortar renters) and Redbox. Additionally, Redbox has joined with the DECE team and will support UltraViolet with its upcoming Redbox Instant service. With the new deal, it can offer UltraViolet digital access to Warner movies, and distribute movies through its subscription service. We'll have to wait for Redbox Instant to launch to know more information about that, for now check out the details in the press release after the break.

Microsoft's already opened up the floodgates with Windows 8 pre-orders, and it looks as if those still on the fence now have a sandbox to goof off in. Pictured above is a trio of Windows 8 notebooks from a Best Buy located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and we actually called around to confirm with several other stores that a similar setup had been erected in their locales. Nah, we can't make October 26th get here any faster, but at least you know where to head if you're looking for a sample.

The last concrete details we'd heard about Redbox Instant was that it was entering internal alpha testing, but now Verizon exec Eric Bruno has revealed more background information. Previous info indicated the service would focus more heavily on movies than the back catalog of TV shows that is a part of Netflix Watch Instantly and Amazon Prime Instant Video, and Bloomberg reports Redbox will break with their models by paying its content providers per subscriber cable TV-style, instead of a flat rate decided up front. What customers will get is a monthly subscription and allotment of disc rentals from Redbox's kiosks, as well as access to VOD movie rentals and downloadable purchases through the service. The alpha test is currently in the hands of about 500 Verizon employees, with plans for a short public test before launching in a late November / mid-December time frame. The main unanswered question however is how much it will all cost, but knowing what we do now -- how much are you willing to pay?

Intel has finalized the specs of its Next Unit of Computing (NUC) board, and announced it'll go on sale in October for less than $400 with a case and power supply. Carrying a 4 x 4-inch form factor between a Raspberry Pi and mini-ITX board, it'll be equipped with a Core i3 Ivy Bridge processor, HD 4000 graphics, two SoDIMM sockets, an mSATA slot for an SSD drive, three USB ports, one HDMI port and a mini-PCI slot for wireless connectivity. Two different models will be offered by the chip giant, identical except that one will be Thunderbolt equipped and the other will sport an Ethernet port for connectivity. Originally intended for the kiosk and signage markets, enthusiast interest compelled Intel to put the board on general sale, along with a case (pictured above) and power supply option. That'll pit it against offerings from VIA and others, while offering considerably more oomph in a similar form factor -- though a mini-server slaying Core i5 option originally proposed by Intel was dropped.

So far, Digiboo's movie kiosks have been severely limited by a couple of factors, before you even get to the fact that their content is SD only. Firstly, they've required users to carry a USB stick on their person, and secondly they've only been able to transfer rentals to a Windows device. Today, however, the company has cleared a major hurdle on its passage to relevance, by allowing wireless transfers to any "Windows-enabled PC, laptop or tablet." This should make Digiboo's next step -- Android support, which is promised to come this month -- a whole lot easier.

While Redbox's parent company Coinstar rejoiced over earnings results that showed revenue growth that was partially due to last year's price hike, the kiosk movie renter had more good news after extending its DVD licensing deal with Sony Pictures. This means Redbox can rent Sony movies the same day they go on sale in stores and has the option to license Blu-ray movies as well through September 2014, when Sony will have the option of two one-year extensions. We'll still have to wait and see if it can work out an arrangement with Warner and Disney, and what its streaming service has to offer, but more new movies right away is always good.

If you've been thinking about using an iPad for a customer kiosk in your business, but haven't figured out how to secure it, Griffin's new Kiosk may be just the solution.

The Kiosk comes in two versions -- the Floor Mount (US$299), which screws into a floor and lifts the iPad to 47.5" above floor height, and the Table Mount ($199) that mounts an iPad so it's sitting about a foot above a table.

The hardware to mount the Kiosk is included, and three interchangeable faceplates provide or deny access to the camera and home button. An included power cable runs through the center of the steel mount arm, keeping it protected at all times.

Since you'll also want to make sure that your customers are focused on your custom app or website, Griffin is also selling the Kiosk app ($2.99) in the App Store. Users can set up a defined home URL and web domain, have a home page reloaded after a pre-set time of non-use, set up a whitelist of allowable web domains or create a customizable URL shortcut buttons, ID the devices by number or name, and get notified by email if a device is unplugged, has a low battery, or is being abused by a user.

The Griffin Kiosk looks like a very good solution for business, and you can download a data sheet (PDF) with all of the details.

If you're a licensed driver in the state of Tennessee, don't be surprised if you see an iPad on your next visit to the local driver service center. Tennessee's Department of Safety and Homeland Security recently spent US$79,200 to install 72 iPad kiosks inside 26 of those service centers for the purpose of speeding up driver's license renewals.

The kiosks are called ASSETS (Automatic Self-Service Electronic Terminals) and are targeted for the service centers in high-population areas where waiting in line for a driver's license renewal has become an annoying issue.

Should you become bored waiting in line, you can use the kiosk to fill out a form and pay with a debit or credit card. You can change your home address and pay reinstatement fees, and the new license is available within minutes.

Tennesseans who wish to take advantage of the ASSETS can find the nearest location in this PDF document.

Intel's Next Unit of Computing mini-desktop is reportedly going to cost around $400 when it arrives in the third quarter of the year. Designed for kiosks and digital signage setups, the weeny box has attracted so much interest from solder-wielding modders that the company expects it to go on general sale. The initial unit will include a Sandy Bridge Core i3, 4GB RAM and a 40GB SSD, while on the outside it'll come with three USB 2.0 ports and dual HDMI outputs. That high price might dampen the spirits of those hoping for an Intel-powered Arduino / Raspberry Pi, but we still expect to see it crop up in plenty of brilliant mods next year.

The mini-computer game has so far been dominated by upstarts such as FXI and Raspberry Pi, but a big name is getting ready to join the party, too. Intel first demoed its NUC (Next Unit of Computing) at PAX East in April, but details are just hitting the web now. One standout spec is the NUC's 10 x 10-cm (4 x 4-in) form factor, which places it between the Raspberry Pi and Mini-ITX boards in terms of size. Moreover, the NUC packs a Core i3 / Core i5 Sandy Bridge chip with last-gen Intel HD 3000 graphics, and sports Thunderbolt, HDMI and USB 3.0 sockets on the back. There's a heatsink and fan assembly on board, too, and the mini PCIe connectors leave the door open for added functionality. Because it runs an Intel Core i5 CPU instead of the ARM processors found in options such as the Cotton Candy and Raspberry Pi, the NUC promises to be a more powerful mini-desktop. But don't get too excited: Intel envisions it as a component in digital signage instead. Look for Intel's mini-PC at a kiosk near you in the second half of 2012, when it's expected to drop.

]]>
cotton candyCottonCandydigital signageDigitalSignageIntelIntel NUCIntel Sandy BridgeIntelNucIntelSandyBridgekioskkiosksmini computermini-computerMiniComputerNext Unit of ComputingNextUnitOfComputingNUCRaspberry PiRaspberryPiSandy BridgeSandyBridgeTue, 01 May 2012 12:55:00 -040021|20228006http://www.tuaw.com/2012/03/31/lilipad-ipad-kiosk-hits-the-mark-on-price-simplicity/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=TUAW.com&ncid=rss_semi
http://www.tuaw.com/2012/03/31/lilipad-ipad-kiosk-hits-the-mark-on-price-simplicity/http://www.tuaw.com/2012/03/31/lilipad-ipad-kiosk-hits-the-mark-on-price-simplicity/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=TUAW.com#commentsHaving the iPad serve as a portable, simple display kiosk or showcase is terribly tempting. For one thing, now that the 16GB iPad 2 has dropped in price due to the new iPad launch, it's more affordable than ever. For another, getting that touch interaction right in front of your customers or exhibit viewers is a great way to increase their engagement and focus.

Rule #1 of iPad kiosks is, of course, make sure we don't lose the iPad. That's among the strengths of lilitab's kiosk line, which keeps device security top-of-mind throughout the design without giving up ground on ease of assembly, looks or price. I tested out the lilitab standard kiosk model, which comes in either white or black and retails for US$495.

In white, the lilitab looks a little bit like a section of a high-end shower assembly. The heavy steel baseplate keeps the unit steady and vertical once the iPad is installed (it can be bolted to the floor too, if desired), and the top section encloses the device easily and without fuss. The top enclosure comes with a set of security screws (and an Allen wrench to set them) so that nobody else can come along and abscond with your iPad. You have a choice of frontplates with or without a camera opening, and with or without a home button pinhole -- you can lock in your chosen app with the fully closed frontplate and it won't get changed inadvertently or purposefully.

Down at the base, the main pipe stalk slides into a corresponding section welded to the baseplate. That's also where the included iPad charging cable meets up with the user-supplied iPad AC adapter and Apple charger extension cord -- you do have to bring your own on those. Getting the power adapter installed was really the only tricky bit of the assembly, as it requires you to feed the AC cord into the base at a sharp angle so that both pieces fit into the available space.

Once the power is plugged in, the next security step is the two-piece cowling that attaches around the pipe fitting. Another pair of security screws keep it firmly attached. The base also has a lock fitting for both Kensington-style and conventional 3/8" steel cable attachments. With all items set up, the iPad can be fitted into the enclosure and mounted either in landscape or portrait mode. The enclosure itself includes foam supports that can be adjusted to house any model of iPad (current or future, as long as it's the same screen size); there's also no metal at all around the iPad's RF antennas, so WiFi and 3G performance should be unimpaired.

You can get additional options and branding kits from lilitab, but even the spare and unadorned kiosk made a positive impression on everyone I showed it to. Aside from the tight tolerances on the power adapter in the base, there's not much to criticize and a lot to admire about this product; if you're looking for a good way to get your iPad kiosks to look professional and sleek, give them a call.

Judging by its quirky name, you'd think Digiboo is anything but an à la carte video service hoping to fight it out with the famed Redbox, or even Qwikster Netflix. The outfit's kiosks allow you to grab a two-day rental from a 700-plus film menu for $3.99, while $14.99 makes any title yours to own. Here's the interesting part -- rather than getting a DVD for your cash, though, you'll insert a flash drive to download your movie in as little as "30 seconds." Digiboo's setting up shop at airports in Portland, Seattle and Minneapolis-St. Paul to start, but mum's the word on its plans for expansion. Taking a trip over to P-Town anytime soon? Be sure to let us know your results if you happen to try it out.

We've posted before about Hubworks, a company based in Idaho that develops consumer-facing solutions for ordering food and interacting with servers at restaurants via iPads. Most of Apple's sales are directly to consumers, but Hubworks is just one company of many that's getting more involved in business-to-business sales of Apple products. These companies are the main reason you're soon going to see iPads used in kiosks and sales environments all over the world.

Hubworks' VP of sales and marketing, Aaron Gabriel, told me, "In the next six months this is something that people will be able to go and see in their local environments." Currently, Hubworks is working on big deals with a few big "large international chains" of restaurants, with pilot programs and trials currently underway to check out how viable these iPad solutions can be. But Gabriel is convinced the iPad has a place in the retail and food sales environments.

Hubworks uses its own special case for the iPad. The unit hooks up to Apple's tablet through the dock connector. It contains a credit card slider unit to charge customers and plugs into a point of sale system already working at the restaurants to deliver food and drink orders back to the kitchen. Hubworks has developed its own app to do that, though the iPad can have other apps or games running on it as well.

The unit also has a battery pack that allows the iPad to be used for up to 18 hours. While the company hasn't squared away a security solution yet, Gabriel says, "we haven't had any problems thus far." Eventually there will probably be sensors on the iPads to let restaurant management know if they've been carried out the door by less-than-honest customers.

Why haven't we seen this solution implemented on a wide scale yet? Gabriel says most of the biggest restaurant chains "just want to see it develop a bit" first and would like to "gather some performance metrics" before widespread deployment. In other words, restaurants are interested in giving iPads to customers, but don't want to be the first to do so. Gabriel is convinced that once these chains see a successful program in action, they'll all jump in on the idea. "These first deals are very important," he says.

Once we do see these iPads in stores, Gabriel says there are more benefits than just the customers getting to play with Apple's tablets. Some servers were worried that with customers ordering from the iPad their tips would go down, but Gabriel says, "the average check size is going up" at restaurants where the customers use iPads to order their food and drink. With service that's quicker and ordering that's easier than ever, servers have more time to talk and customers buy more food than usual.

That's the kind of stat that could really kick these programs into more widespread use. It may be only a matter of time before you're given a menu at your local chain restaurant printed on an iPad.

]]>
batteryexclusivehubworksiOSiPadkioskoriginarestaurantsoftwaretuawThu, 15 Mar 2012 07:00:00 -040016|20193700http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/07/redbox-notches-its-second-billion-rentals-offers-freebies-thurs/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/07/redbox-notches-its-second-billion-rentals-offers-freebies-thurs/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/07/redbox-notches-its-second-billion-rentals-offers-freebies-thurs/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#commentsIt took six years for Redbox to cross the one billion discs rented mark, but clearly the pace is picking up as it's taken only 18 months to duplicate the feat. Sure, two billion is no 25 billion, but at least the red kiosk company isn't only going to share the love with the milestone maker who just wanted to check out Ryan Gosling in Drive. Thursday, all customers can pick up a free DVD rental (Blu-ray and videogame rentals will just be discounted by the price of a DVD) courtesy of a promo code that can be found on the company's Facebook page, hit the giveaway link below to snag it.

]]>
billionblu-raydiscountdvdhdpostminikioskmilestoneredboxrentaltwo billionTwoBillionvideogamesWed, 07 Mar 2012 09:22:00 -050021|20186464http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/redbox-universal-28-day-rental-delay/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/redbox-universal-28-day-rental-delay/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/redbox-universal-28-day-rental-delay/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#commentsSo far, Redbox has maintained that it's only willing to delay rentals of new releases a maximum of one month, but while Warner pushes for a longer window the rental kiosk chain has reached an agreement with Universal Studios Home Entertainment. The new deal keeps the delay window at 28 days, and promises to keep the discs flowing through August 2014. Despite Redbox's threat to start offering Warner movies day and date due to their dispute, so far it's still taken a couple of weeks for new releases like Harold & Kumar and J Edgar to make their way into kiosks. So far there's no word of other studios backing Warner's push for a 56-day delay between the date movies go on sale at retail and the earliest budget renters like Redbox and Netflix will offer them, which is a good sign. Not mentioned in the press release? Whether or not this deal could affect the availability of content for Redbox's internet streaming service that's on the way with Verizon.

]]>
28-dayblu-raydvdhdpostminikioskredboxrentrentaluniversaluniversal studiosuniversal studios home entertainmentUniversalStudiosUniversalStudiosHomeEntertainmentushewindowThu, 01 Mar 2012 08:42:00 -050021|20183524http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/06/redbox-snatches-up-ncrs-entertainment-division-future-of-block/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/06/redbox-snatches-up-ncrs-entertainment-division-future-of-block/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/06/redbox-snatches-up-ncrs-entertainment-division-future-of-block/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#commentsIf you thought Coinstar was through making industry rattling announcements today, you were wrong. After taking the wraps off its joint venture with Verizon, now the company has announced it'll be taking over NCR's entertainment division for $100 million. That includes DVD kiosks, retailer contracts and an inventory of discs for stocking the machines. That's big news not only because it expands Redbox's already sizable self-serve rental empire, but because it's doing so at the expense of the floundering Blockbuster, since NCR owns the blue and yellow rental kiosks. Presumably existing Blockbuster Express installations will become Redboxes, though, how quickly that might happen is unclear. For a few more details about the deal check out the PR after the break.

Update: We've attached a letter from Blockbuster explaining the switchover after the break.

]]>
blockbusterblockbuster expressBlockbusterExpresscoinstardvd kioskDvdKioskhdpostcrosskioskncrNCR Corpncr corporationNcrCorpNcrCorporationpurchasereboxredboxredbox kioskRedboxKioskrental kioskRentalKioskMon, 06 Feb 2012 17:58:00 -050021|20165701http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/01/redbox-warner-rental-deal-expires-56-day-delay/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/01/redbox-warner-rental-deal-expires-56-day-delay/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/01/redbox-warner-rental-deal-expires-56-day-delay/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#commentsTwo years after bending to Warner's demands and delaying its kiosk rentals 28 days in exchange for lower acquisition costs and a steady supply of Blu-ray discs, Redbox announced the agreement has expired. This comes as a result of Warner's desire to extend the delay between the time movies are available for purchase to the time they can be rented in kiosks or by subscription to 56 days, and instead Redbox will go back to buying the studio's movies at retail -- coincidentally, it has renewed its lease agreement with Walmart for 3,700 retail locations for three more years. While that means more expense and possibly unsure supply for Redbox -- we'll wait and see if retailer interference is an issue again -- the good news for consumers is that for the time being, they'll have the choice of renting as soon as movies go on sale. The first flick affected by the new reality is A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas, so until Warner backs off, or Redbox blinks once its streaming service comes into play, then go forth and enjoy those $1.10 rentals freely.